Chapter 68 Chicken and Duck Talk:
After returning to the manor, Shen Bingsi immediately went into seclusion in her quiet room.
Using the usual method to cut away the distracting thoughts in his mind and restore his Dao heart to stability... this time, however, it did not go smoothly.
Shen Bingsi stayed in the meditation room for five days, but the effect was not obvious. He could feel that the thoughts in his sea of consciousness had been forcibly cut off, but the emotions below were still surging. If he did not find the root of the emotions and uproot them, he would face the problem of his Dao heart wavering sooner or later.
"..."
Shen Bingsi knew that his best option now was to go to Baishentai to find Xue Baoshan and continue their long-term seclusion, which they had just started. However, that would mean he would be isolated from the world for too long, and who knew how many changes might occur in between.
You cannot go to the altar to worship.
After much thought, Shen Bingsi decided to rely on himself. Cultivation is a personal matter; if he runs away from trouble, what kind of ruthless path is he cultivating?
Thus, the scene of Shen Bingsi cutting grass and cultivating her mind in the middle of the night came about.
After sorting things out, he realized that he had reluctantly accepted Rong Xie's feelings for him. What truly shook his resolve was not this, but Rong Xie's decision to leave.
He dared not think about what he would do if Rong Xie really left.
"We can't let him leave," Shen Bingsi whispered. "We must stop him."
How can we stop Rong Xie from leaving?
Ultimately, Rong Xie wanted to leave because he was "bewitched by someone who liked him." If this evil thought could be expelled from Rong Xie's mind, he wouldn't leave, and the problem would be solved at its root.
However, Shen Bingsi had already tried it in the Shen family garden, but it didn't work. Rong Xie was deeply possessed by evil spirits and rejected his suggestion to cultivate the Path of Ruthlessness to sever his thoughts.
Then the only option is to take a hard line and use a magic array or other methods to control Rong Xie and prevent him from leaving the Huanxue Manor. This would be easy for Shen Bingsi, but would this really be the result he wanted?
What he wanted was for his best friend to stay by his side willingly as before, living happily and carefree in Huanxue Mountain Villa, in good health. The repetitive days of the past had now become a luxury.
...
What if Rong Xie's wish is granted?
If Rong Xie's wish is fulfilled, will he not leave?
Shen Bingsi began to seriously consider this possibility.
Unfortunately, Shen Bingsi had no experience in liking or being liked, and no matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't figure out what was going on.
While he was daydreaming, he also kept busy with his hands, trimming the lawn in the backyard.
The next morning, smoke rose from the kitchen in the front yard as the three children got up to cook.
As Shen Bingsi watched the straight plumes of smoke rise into the sky, a brilliant idea suddenly came to her mind.
He couldn't understand what liking someone meant, but some people could. They could hear useful information just by going for a stroll around the Red Fragrance Pavilion.
With a thought, Shen Bingsi raised the Shengxie Sword from the bushes. With a flash of golden light, she and the sword became one, heading straight for the Hongxiang Tower.
However, whether it was bad luck or something else, the young couples coming in and out of Hongxianglou didn't say a single useful word. They were either being lovey-dovey or sticky, which made Shen Bingsi's hair stand on end.
Having no other choice, Shen Bingsi had to return to the villa.
Before he even entered the door, he overheard the three younger ones discussing Rong Xie's impending departure while they were working.
"It seems that Brother Rong has made up his mind to leave."
"Yeah... Rong-ge is gone, what are we going to do?"
Shen Bingsi stopped in her tracks, not in a hurry to push the door open.
"What else can we do but keep going? Brother Rong taught us so much, hoping we would take good care of the resort. We can't let Brother Rong down," Shen Yan said.
Standing at the door, Shen Bingsi heard this and felt a greater appreciation for Shen Yan. Rong Xie's judgment of people was always very accurate, and Shen Yan certainly did not disappoint him.
“I think it will be difficult. We are better off with Brother Rong passing on messages. But if Brother Rong leaves, who will pass on messages? It will be impossible for us to understand the meaning of the Grand Master of the Manor!” Long Shaoye complained. “I think we still need to find a way to keep Brother Rong.”
Shen Bingsi initially looked down on Long Shaoye, not only because of his lack of talent, but also because of his lack of intelligence. Long Shaoye spoke without thinking, often making people angry. However, now it seems that this is a kind of straightforwardness that comes from being quick-witted.
Yes, how to keep Rong Xie is also something he wants to know. Shen Bingsi released her spiritual sense a little more, and the voices of the three little ones talking reached her ears without missing a single word.
"How do you think we can keep him here?" Shen Yan asked. "I think Brother Rong is determined to leave. He's even found a house. I'm afraid it won't be so easy to keep him."
"That depends on who stays and who goes," Long Shaoye said calmly. "It's definitely not going to work if you or I go, but if Master Shen is willing to take action, then it's a sure thing."
Shen Bingsi perked up and his ears perked up. This was exactly what he wanted to hear. He never expected that the answer he had searched for outside would be right in his own home!
"The root cause of Rong-ge's move lies with Master Shen." Long Shaoye lowered his voice considerably, but that didn't prevent Shen Bingsi from hearing him clearly. "We've discussed it, and the conclusion we've reached is that Master Shen took Rong-ge out for a trip, but not only did they not have a good time, they also offended someone badly. Rong-ge has always had a good temper and can tolerate anything, but even so, Master Shen still offended him. What does that mean?"
"What does that mean?" Shen Yan asked, puzzled.
"This shows that it's the explosion of long-standing resentment. You didn't notice it when you were at home, but once you go out, you see problems everywhere. You encountered so many things on the road, and after all that, you realized that Master Shen is no good, right?" Long Shaoye clapped his hands and spread them to both sides. "First of all, let's talk about Master Shen's mouth. He's really harsh when he speaks. Do you remember what he said about you when you were choosing your page?"
"..." Of course Shen Yan remembered it; sometimes she would have nightmares at night and the scene would reappear.
"..." Shen Bingsi thought Long Shaoye would offer some constructive suggestions, but she didn't expect this. It seems that she was too naive to have any expectations of Long Shaoye.
Shen Bingsi's words were harsh, but that depended on who he was talking to and what his purpose was. To the prospective servants who had absolutely no connection to him, he could say whatever he wanted. Observing their reactions under pressure was also part of the test.
He had never spoken harshly to Rong Xie. Rong Xie was a gentle and intelligent person, and he would understand what was meant with just a slight hint. The two also had a tacit understanding... Oh, that's gone now.
Shen Bingsi was dismissive when she heard Long Shaoye continue, "Last time, the Great Master and that fairy had a scandal. She was infatuated with him and was very sensitive, caring a lot about his feelings. In the end, he slashed her with his sword and cut off all ties with her. We spent several days filling that sword mark together, and we even had to move the turf bit by bit. That's so cruel and hurtful. If the same thing happened to Brother Rong, even someone as gentle as him wouldn't be able to handle it."
Shen Yan initially thought it made sense, but after hearing the rest, she couldn't help but frown: "What do you mean the same thing happened to Brother Rong? Brother Rong and the Master of the Manor don't have that kind of relationship."
Shen Bingsi found it all too resounding; Long Shaoye's unintentional words had just hit the nail on the head regarding what had happened on the South Island.
"Hey, I was just giving an example. For instance, when Brother Rong went out sightseeing and was in high spirits, he expressed a slight liking for the Grand Master, but it just so happened to violate one of the Grand Master's eight hundred taboos. The Grand Master suddenly fell ill and severely berated Brother Rong..." Long Shaoye continued his analysis incessantly, unaware that every word he said precisely struck the heart of the eavesdropper outside the door. After listening to his words, Shen Bingsi broke out in a cold sweat!
“I don’t think that’s possible either. Brother Rong knows the manor lord’s taboos best. How could he knowingly break them?” Shen Yan was still trying to reason with the matter based on common sense.
"That's true!" Long Shaoye agreed with Shen Yan. "I was just guessing, haha, don't take it seriously!"
Seeing that the three younger ones stopped mentioning the matter, Shen Bingsi became anxious.
He pushed the door open with a bang and strode into the front yard.
The three little ones were startled, like little tits being stared at by a python that had suddenly sprung out. Their hands froze as they worked, and if you looked closely, you could see them trembling slightly.
Shen Bingsi stared intently at Long Shaoye and charged straight at him.
Long Shaoye's face turned deathly pale, and he thought to himself: My life is over!
The expected flying sword piercing his heart did not occur. Shen Bingsi simply walked up to him, stared at him for a while, and asked dryly, "You seem to know a lot about this?"
“Master Shen,” Shen Yan said, defending her best friend who was too frightened to speak, “Shao Ye didn’t mean it. He never thinks before he speaks. Master Shen is magnanimous, please don’t take it to heart!”
Shen Bingsi raised her hand and wiped, and Shen Yan felt an invisible wall of energy blocking him. He couldn't make a sound or move.
Although Fang Renji said nothing, he was treated the same way.
Shen Bingsi left Long Shaoye alone and asked again, "You seem to know a lot about this?"
Long Shaoye had already mentally prepared to bury himself, his face ashen, and said, "Master, I was wrong! I shouldn't have spoken so arrogantly..."
“No, I think you make a lot of sense,” Shen Bingsi interrupted him impatiently. “Don’t you have a lot of experience in this area?”
Long Shaoye was bewildered. What aspect? Was it about analyzing people? Was the Grand Master speaking truthfully or ironically? Was he genuinely asking him a question, or was he setting a trap for him?
“I… I don’t have much experience…” Long Shaoye said, his neck stiff, “but if the Master needs it, I can…”
Shen Yan was sweating bullets for Long Shaoye when she heard his incoherent words.
To everyone's surprise, Shen Bingsi didn't seem to find anything wrong with the answer. He reached out and patted Long Shaoye's upper arm: "Okay!"
Long Shaoye never expected things to take such a dramatic turn for the better. The unpredictable head of the manor actually expressed his appreciation for him. Could it be that his talent for analyzing human relationships had finally been discovered?
Shen Bingsi paused for a moment and asked, "Let me ask you a question first. I have a friend who... someone likes him and told him, but because he cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness, he said to that person: 'Are you possessed?' Isn't that a mistake?"
"..." All three little eyelids twitched at the same time.
This...does the question even need to be asked?
This friend who cultivates the path of ruthlessness, isn't that you?
The answer was obvious, but it required careful consideration when responding, mainly because Shen Bingsi's way of thinking was different from ordinary people. If she answered truthfully, it might anger him—Shen Yan thought to herself.
"Of course you're wrong! Utterly wrong!" Long Shaoye blurted out. "How could anyone respond to someone's feelings of liking you like that? Do you know how nervous and afraid you are when you like someone? It's one thing to reject them, but to call them bewitched is like stabbing them in the heart!"
Shen Bingsi stared at Long Shaoye in astonishment, and after a moment, said, "...My friend."
"Yes, that's what I meant too," Long Shaoye quickly tried to salvage the situation.
"So, you think what he did was wrong? If he still wants to keep that person, what... should he do?" Shen Bingsi paused, then asked with some difficulty.
“That’s difficult… but it’s not that difficult,” Long Shaoye stroked his chin—Shen Yan looked at them with surprise, completely unexpected that the two could have such a smooth conversation—Long Shaoye raised his head and said confidently, “The key is whether that person likes your friend or not.”
"I like it!" Shen Bingsi said immediately.
"If you like someone... then it's not difficult. It's hard for people to resist someone they like. As long as that person doesn't have a serious illness that causes them too much pain, they will want to be with that person."
"Then... what should my friend do?" Shen Bingsi asked humbly.
"That's easy. First, formally apologize to them, admit your mistake, admit that you shouldn't have spoken in such a hurtful way, and promise to change in the future. Then, show it through your actions, such as doing something for them, whether it's troublesome or trivial, anything will do, as long as it shows your sincerity in apologizing. After they forgive your friend, then solemnly reply to their feelings. If you don't want them to leave, say that you will think about it carefully and hope they can give you some time. That way, they will definitely be devoted to your friend."
"Really?" Shen Bingsi was unsure. "But my friend cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness. I don't know what to consider?"
"Consider, of course it's about whether or not to be with the other person!" Long Shaoye slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot, didn't I? Your friend cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness! So it depends on what your friend wants, whether he wants to keep that person or wants to make things clear with them?"
"..." Shen Bingsi was silent for a moment, "Anything else?"
"Also, actually, the one who likes you is the passive one. The person who is liked has a big advantage. As long as they are gentle and neither agree nor refuse, the person who likes them has no choice but to fall in love. It's hard for them to extricate themselves." Long Shaoye said with some bitterness, recalling an unforgettable unrequited love when he was six years old.
"..."
The invisible barrier of energy pressing down on Shen Yan and Fang Renji disappeared, and the two breathed a sigh of relief, able to move and talk freely again.
However, they said nothing and watched as Master Shen, seemingly oblivious to everything, walked through the central gate.
Brother Rong clearly said that Master Shen's number one taboo is talking about love, but what just happened? Shen Bingsi asked Long Shaoye for advice on talking about love.
What is all this...?!
The day Rong Xie returned arrived.
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